Kangchenjunga | 1991 NE Spur (E Ridge)-N Face/Ridge

A India expedition to Kangchenjunga in 1991 via NE Spur (E Ridge)-N Face/Ridge, led by Hukam Singh, Yoshio Ogata. Summit reached on 24th May 1991. 38 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 776
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID KANG91101
Peak ID KANG
Year 1991
Season 1
Host Country 3
Route 1 NE Spur (E Ridge)-N Face/Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality India
Leaders Hukam Singh, Yoshio Ogata
Sponsor Indo-Japanese Kangchenjunga (8586m) Expedition 1991
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 38th,39th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Japan
Approach From Gangtok->Taggu by road (long rte->BC via 3 passes)
Basecamp Date 1991-03-31
Summit Date 1991-05-24
Summit Time 1150
Summit Days 54
Total Days 60
Termination Date 1991-05-30
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8586
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 6
Fixed Rope (m) 5000
Total Members 36
Summit Members 6
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 33
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb True
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep True
O2 Medical True
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(31/03,4935m),ABC(15/04,5200m),C1(20/04,5700m),C2(27/04,6300m),C3(04/05,6800m),C4(09/05,7450m),C5(15/05,7850m),C6(23/05,8000m),Smt(24-25/05)
Route Notes BC at Green Lake ABC at glacier junction of Zemu and Twins Glaciers C1 on South Face of NE Spur C2 ont NE Spur C3 at wide snow ridge which NE Spur C4 on NE Spur C5 at top of NE Spur C6 on North Face. NE Spur very difficult: snow monsters, "up-down zig-zag," so much fixed ropes. 16 Indian climbing members (Indian leader to C1) and 14 Japanese climbers (Ogata to C6). Northern approach in spring did not reach BC even after digging yak road taking month extra to get to BC. 14 March we left Gangtok by 4 mini-buses and 7 auto trucks with members and high altitude porters. There are two routes for approaching BC at Green Lake in the Zemu Glacier. One of them is along the Zemu Chu (river) from Lachen and the others are a roundabout way the Northern area from Tanggu. Three high passes stand the roundabout way that Lugnak La, Thieu La and Tangchung La. The route of our approach to the Base Camp had been set for roundabout way our overall leader. I was anxious about snow condition of these high passes for yaks in middle of March. As a consequence it follows that it took the team 44 days to transport for expedition loads from the road-head to the Base Camp at Green Lake (4935m). If it were not for snow on the high passes, we could reach to Base Camp from road head only 4 days. The advance party arrived the Base Camp on 31 March and last party arrived on 26 April such being the case. As advance party selected a site for Advance Base Camp on 1 April. Carrying of supplies up to ABC started on 10 April. The route to ABC led up the Zemu Glacier from Base Camp. ABC was on a glacier where the Twins Glacier joins to the Zemu Glacier at an elevation of 5200m. After ABC, we started route making for C1. The first obstacle was in the form of an icefall. This icefall stands in just below the Upper Zemu Glacier where it was about one hour from ABC. At that point the East Face of Kangchenjunga, which until then had been hidden by lower part of NE Spur, came into full view for the time. This icefall technically speaking was not as bad as the one of Everest but was far more dangerous due the constant hazard of ice avalanches and falling boulders. The members and high altitude porters had often narrow escapes from the bombardment of stones and ice avalanches. On April 16, 6 climbers who stretched 13 pitches of fixed rope across several crevasses and ice walls. They reached an elevation of 5600m. The next day, they extended the route 9 more pitches up an ice plateau on the Upper Zemu Glacier where we pitched Camp after several days. On 19th April, both the leader and some members reached C1, we had view for reconnaissance to find a climbing route for East Face of Kangchenjunga. The East Face was very steep with ice and rock mix face and was dangerous due to the constant hazard of big avalanches. We judged from that view there was no feasible route up from the top of the Upper Zemu Glacier. The same day a huge icefall at the just below the snow plateau broke down and route was cut to pieces. We changed make of fixed rope to the flank of NE Spur on the following day. C1 was set up at the South Face of the NE Spur on 20 April at the height of 5700m. After Camp I we had to gain the crest of the deadly NE Spur. The South Face of the NE Spur rises up almost vertically for about 300m from the flat glacier basin, and the steep face with fluted ice-gullies was swept regularly by avalanches. The route from C1 was traverse of the South Face. On April 21, Yoshida's party stretched 20 pitches of fixed rope across several ice gullies and broken rock face. They extended the ridge an elevation of 6150m. The next day they extended 2 more pitches up an ice wall, and they came out on the NE Spur. From there the NE Spur that there were towers piled upon towers, cliff upon cliff, huge vertical columns which tapered like spires and shining curtains festooned with icicles, hanging down the precipices from the cornices above. There were great bulges and chasms wrenched by the wind and cold into fantastic mushroom shapes which had the likeness of night monsters. The fixed ropes were flung all over the place to secure the members and high atitude porters from falling into the sheer depths below. We had found old fixed ropes on the ridge presumably belonging to the 1977 and 1987 Indian expeditions. We stretched 34 pitches of fixed ropes from C1 to C2. C2 pitched a strip place the cornices above on the NE Spur an elevation of 6300m on 27 April. On 28 April, Nazuka's party started route making for C3. From there the NE Spur also there were huge vertical mushroom shapes which had the likeness of monsters. There were cornices which could not be climbed in any way. They passed through a natural tunnels to surmount there. They extended the route 9 pitches up on the rugged ridge from 28 April till 30 April. On 1st May, Yoshida's party stretched 9 pitches of fixed rope across big crevasses and several huge ice cliffs, and they reached an elevation of 6550m. They extended the route 10 more pitches up on the snow rugged ridge on the following day, and they reached an elevation of 6880m. C3 perched on a snow slope where the 5 pitched below the highest reaching point of the 2 May and elevation of 6800m on 4 May. At that point the NE Spur came into widely snow ridge with no technical difficulty. Below one looks down a steep slope at the Upper Zemu Glacier and the Twins Glacier. On 4 May we set up C3 at the height of 6800m we had reached the previous day. On 6 May, Ogata's party reached a point of the NE Spur where there were huge ice cliffs at 7250m. We strung 14 pitches of fixed rope up the snow ridge for two days. The next day Oda's party succeeded in reaching a point of C4 at the height of 7450m. They strung six and half pitches of fixed rope up the NE Spur. On 9 May we established C4, and Nazuka's party stayed the first night at C4. Next morning Nazuka's party started on the route on the NE Spur derived from the Junction Peak and rope were fixed all the way. The route from C4 was up a snow ridge with very steep arete, and this the arete culminating at the highest point the NE Spur. From there the arete below one looks down the North Col on the North Ridge and beyond North Col there is a view of Nepal Himalayas. After four days work to complete this route, 4 Indian climbers reached C5 at the height of 7800m on 14 May. The next day they have set up C5 with two high altitude porters. On May 15 Pasang Sherpa, Khem Raj, Sharki Bhutia and Lopsang Tshering went for reconnaissance to find a final camp. They reached old camp site of Indian expedition in 1977 and 1987 at height of about 8000m. They returned back to C5. The same day's morning, Sato and I [Ogata] started the labourious work to carry up the luggage to C5 and we reached C5 at noon. We met four Indian members just the same time. They told us about the ascent route for the summit which can be seen from the reaching highest point on today. I thought that they have caught an easy going way of thinking for attack to the summit. The next day they had thunder clap of accident. They made a start from C5 at just 4:00 am. Four Indians members reached to the old camp site of Indian expedition, they deposited their carrying loads at the place, and continued up the summit of Kangchenjunga at their own discretion with one oxygen cylinder to each of the members. During their attack Pasang Sherpa tragically fell off to the North Face side and was missing. Though the accident upset the plan considerably, I have made again plan for attack to the summit. We went into mourning for Pasang Sherpa at each camp on following day. We regained the final stage of our expedition with heavy hearts. On 23 May, seven Japanese members who were constituted into a support party and on 24 May the summit party, they went up to the North Face, and reached an elevation of 7950m on the North Face. They established C6 at this point, and now they were getting the full blast of the westerlies. Nazuka and Imamura stretched 7 pitches of fixed rope in the snow gully at the rear of C6. The support party returned, leaving Hideji Nazuka, Hirotaka Imamura and Ryuzo Oda at C6. When they tried to fix their oxygen regulators they found that there were two sets only. We discussed the best attack plan by walkie-talkie between C6 and BC, and we decided that Nazuka attempt an attack of the summit without oxygen. On 24th May, they made a start at just 4:00 am in biting cold. Oda was carrying two oxygen cylinders and Imamura was carrying one oxygen cylinder they started climbing. They added another 3 pitches of fixed rope for safety on the descent. Very soon Imamura collapsed owing to the some trouble on the oxygen mask that Imamura was not getting any oxygen flow. He left his oxygen cylinder and he began climbing again without oxygen. At 8:15 am Oda left one of his half used oxygen cylinder to be used on the return journey. They slogged on and on, in deep snow and fierce winds. Sometimes the winds were so strong that they were pushed of their feet. At 10:57 am Nazuka reached the West Col on the main ridge of between Main Peak and Yalung Kang (West Peak). From there the summit ridge of Kangchenjunga becomes traversed a snow and rock mix face the Yalung glacier side, he escaped to some partly fierce winds. He climbed along the Yalung Glacier side of the summit ridge to the main summit. It was 11:50 am when Nazuka stood on the summit of Kangchenjunga. He remembered the promise the team had given to the people of Sikkim. He left the last 7 feet untrodden. He took pictures and came back the same way he went in carefully, and he returned back the West Col at 13:00 and then he met Oda. Imamura had not yet reached the Col. Imamura reached the West Col climbing up the summit ridge. Very soon Imamura joined Oda. They finally stood up on the summit at 15:23, and returned back C6 in darkness at 22:30 in the night. Next early morning the second summit party, consisting of Coy Commander SD Sharma, Subedar Kanhaiya Lal and Sub-Inspector T Smamla started from C6 to summit. They reached the summit of Kangchenjunga at 14:30 and returned back Camp 6 in safety at 19:48. Because of the time and weather constraints most of the members both Japanese and Indians had to sacrifice their chance to summit the peak as to support their colleagues in the best mountaineering tradition. Thus six members could reach the summit.
Accidents Nothing except Pasang's fatal fall; Ogata fell 20m but not hurt
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2450932
Year 1991
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) ne spur (e ridge)-n face/ridge

Members

38 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Nobuhiro Shingo M 1943 Japan Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Yoshio Ogata M 1948 Japan Co-Leader Tokyo, Japan - Details Other expeditions
Hideji Nazuka M 1954 Japan Climber Maebashi, Gunma, Japan Gardener Details Other expeditions
Hideki Yoshida M 1953 Japan Climber Nagoya, Japan Engineer Details Other expeditions
Hirotaka Imamura M 1959 Japan Climber Yamato, Kanagawa, Japan Telephone linesman Details Other expeditions
Osamu Tanabe M 1961 Japan Climber Nagoya, Aichi, Japan Construction company staff Details Other expeditions
Shinsuki Ezuka M 1961 Japan Climber Isesaki, Gunma, Japan Electrical engineer Details Other expeditions
Mitsuyoshi Sato M 1961 Japan Climber Maebashi, Gunma, Japan Soft drinks salesman Details Other expeditions
Ryuzo Oda M 1962 Japan Climber Chofu, Tokyo, Japan Window cleaner Details Other expeditions
Fumiaki Goto M 1965 Japan Climber Sakai, Gunma, Japan Electrical engineer Details Other expeditions
Ryushi Hoshino M 1967 Japan Climber Kurohone, Seta-gun, Gunma, Japan Advertising company staff member Details Other expeditions
Tsuyoshi Akiyama M 1970 Japan Climber Tsukiyono, Tone, Gunma, Japan Surveying equipment salesman Details Other expeditions
Miharu Kitagawa F 1949 Japan Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Tamaki Kaizuka F 1961 Japan Climber - - Details Other expeditions
Hukam Singh M 1938 India Co-Leader New Delhi, India ITBP additional deputy superintendent of police Details Other expeditions
Sunil Dutta Sharma M 1962 India Climber Delhi, India ITBP superintendent of police Details Other expeditions
Kanahiya Lal Pokhriyal M 1949 India Climber Sachkhil, Pauri, UP, India ITBP, Asst Commander Details Other expeditions
Tsewang Smanla M 1957 India Climber Tia, Leh, Ladakh, J&K, India ITBP personnel Details Other expeditions
Santosh Yadav F 1967 India Climber Gau Shala, Rewari, Haryana, India - Details Other expeditions
Sherap Cholden M 1947 India Climber - ITBP, Inspector Details Other expeditions
Pema Sherpa F 1968 India Climber - ITBP, Head Constable Details Other expeditions
Pasang Sherpa M 1964 India Climber - ITBP, Head Constable Details Other expeditions
Sundar Singh Martolia M 1946 India Climber Bageshwar, UP, India ITBP subinspector Details Other expeditions
Govind Singh M 1959 India Climber - ITBP, Head Constable Details Other expeditions
Jot Singh Bhandari M 1965 India Climber Malana, Uttarkashi, UP, India ITBP, Head Constable Details Other expeditions
Sharki Bhutia M - India Climber - Sikkim Police, Constable Details Other expeditions
Phurba Lepcha M - India Climber - Sikkim Police, Constable Details Other expeditions
Lobsang Tshering Bhotia M 1952 India Climber Darjeeling, India - Details Other expeditions
Suman Kutiyal F 1969 India Climber Ganga Nagar, Uttarkashi, UP, India UP government village development officer Details Other expeditions
Chittaranjan R. Pattanayak M 1947 India Exp Doctor New Delhi, India ITBP, Senior Medical Officer Details Other expeditions
Khem Raj Thakur M 1967 India Climber - ITBP subinspector Details Other expeditions
Kashmir Singh M 1953 India Radio Operator - ITBP, Inspector/Operator Details Other expeditions
Daulat Chand M 1951 India Radio Operator - ITBP, Head Constable/Operator Details Other expeditions
Netra Singh M - India Film Team - ITBP, Head Constable Details Other expeditions
Suresh Kumar M 1964 India Film Team Pattoli, Kerala, India ITBP, Constable Details Other expeditions
Radhey Shyam M - India Medical Assistant - ITBP, Head Constable Details Other expeditions
Lobsang (Deepak) Sherpa M 1967 India H-A Worker Darjeeling, India - Details Other expeditions
Wangchuk Sherpa M 1965 India H-A Worker Darjeeling, India (born Makalu-Barun) - Details Other expeditions

References

11 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
KANG91101 AAJ Ogata, Yoshio - - 66:186-187 (1992) -
KANG91101 JAC Ogata, Yoshio The 1991 Indo-Japanese Kangchenjunga Expedition - 86:A21-25 (1991) -
KANG91101 HJ Ogata, Yoshio Indo-Japanese Kangchenjunga Expedition, 1991 - 48:29-34 (1990-1991) -
KANG91101 - Singh, Hukam Kangchenjunga, Ascent from the East The Offsetters, New Delhi - -
KANG91101 MM - - - 141:7 (Sep 1991) -
KANG91101 IM Singh, Hukum Indo-Japanese Kangchenjunga Expedition - 27:10-11 (1991) -
KANG91101 JAC Ogata, Yoshio The 1991 Indo-Japanese Kangchenjunga Expedition - 86:52-61 (1991) -
KANG91101 HMJ - - - 19:4-5 (1991-92) -
KANG91101 - Himalayan Association of Japan Kangchenjunga West and East The Club, Tokyo - jN235
KANG91101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199218600/Asia-IndiaSikkim-Kangchenjunga-from-the-East-Ascent-and-Tragedy - - -
KANG91101 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/48/3/indo-japanese-kangchenjunga-expedition-1991/ - - -